State of California v. Sessions (Northern District of California, 2017)

At issue in this case is the federal government’s decision to tie certain DOJ public safety grants for law enforcement to immigration enforcement conditions. ADL filed a brief urging the court to issue a preliminary injunction to block DOJ’s unconstitutional interpretation and intended application of federal immigration law and to ensure the protection of critical state protections for immigrants. As the largest non-governmental trainer of police on issues of hate crimes and extremism, ADL knows well the importance of building trust between law enforcement and communities they serve. By coercing local law enforcement agencies to enforce federal immigration law, the brief argues, the government’s decision seeks to drive a wedge between police officers and the residents they protect, resulting in decreased hate crime reporting.